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iTunes Radio Receives NPR Live News Channel

Apple’s music streaming service, iTunes Radio, made the jump into news streaming on Monday with the introduction of NPR. The public news station launched earlier today, and Re/code reports that additional live news radio stations are set to hit the service in the very near future.

NPR’s channel on iTunes Radio will stream 24/7, offering the same mix of live news and recorded programs the station’s fans know and love. Local NPR stations will also reportedly introduce their own channels within in the Apple streaming service in the next few weeks. “What you hear today is just the start of what’s to come,” said Zach Brand, NPR’s VP of digital media.

It’s unclear how Apple will make money off the non-profit news channel, though the news is sure to be good publicity for both parties. Apple first introduced iTunes Radio last fall in an attempt to win back the music sales it’s lost to music streaming services like Pandora and Spotify. A recent report from Billboardclaims the company is looking into other potential ways to make money through iTunes, including on-demand streaming, exclusive album launches and even rumors of an iTunes app for Android. By providing news, iTunes Radio now attracts customers who may have otherwise shunned the service for other alternatives.

Meanwhile, NPR sees its iTunes Radio launch as a first step towards larger plans to offer a one-stop destination for public radio streaming. The organization hopes to one day offer a “Pandora for public radio” app, which would stream a playlist of programs and news specifically tailored to each user’s preferences. Until then you can stream NPR through iTunes Radio or your web browser.

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Jacob Kleinman has been working as a journalist online and in print since he arrived at Wesleyan University in 2007. After graduating, he took a...Jacob Kleinman has been working as a journalist online and in print since he arrived at Wesleyan University in 2007. After graduating, he took a...